Electromechanical switch device

Abstract

A relay switching device for switching high frequency signals has high reliability and stable insertion loss. The switching device has a housing with a base and a case. The case has a bore and the base has a slot. An electromagnet is mounted in the case. A reed holder has a pair of ends. One end of the reed holder is mounted in the bore adjacent the electromagnet. A pair of terminals are mounted in the base and extend into the slot. A guide member is mounted in the slot. A conductive reed is mounted to the other end of the reed holder. The reed is supported by the guide member and extends over the terminals. The electromagnet moves the reed between an open and closed position. The guide member prevents rotation of the reed as it moves between the open and closed positions.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. An electromagnetic switch device comprising: 
       a) a base having at least one slot therein;  
       b) a first terminal mounted in the base and extending into the slot;  
       c) a second terminal mounted in the base and extending into the slot;  
       d) at least one guide member mounted in the slot;  
       e) an electrically conductive reed mounted in the guide member and extending along the slot, the reed movable between a first position in which the first and second terminals are electrically connected and a second position in which the first and second terminals are electrically disconnected; and  
       f) an actuator, mounted adjacent to the base and coupled to the reed, the actuator operable to move the reed between the first and second positions, the guide member reducing wear of the reed as it moves.  
     
     
       2. The electromagnetic switch device according to  claim 1 , wherein the guide member is U-shaped. 
     
     
       3. The electromagnetic switch device according to  claim 2 , wherein the guide member has a base and a pair of posts extending from the base. 
     
     
       4. The electromagnetic switch device according to  claim 3 , wherein the slot has a pair of recesses located on each side of the slot, the guide member mounted in the recesses. 
     
     
       5. The electromagnetic switch device according to  claim 1 , wherein the actuator comprises: 
       a) a housing;  
       b) a case mounted in the housing;  
       c) an electromagnet mounted in the case;  
       d) a reed holder having a first and a second end, the first end mounted to the reed; and  
       e) a first permanent magnet mounted to the second end of the reed holder, the permanent magnet mounted adjacent the electromagnet, the electromagnet operable to attract and repel the permanent magnet such that the reed moves between the first and second positions.  
     
     
       6. The electromagnetic switch device according to  claim 5 , wherein the second end of the reed holder has a cavity, the first permanent magnet mounted in the cavity. 
     
     
       7. The electromagnetic switch device according to  claim 5 , wherein the first end of the reed holder is mounted to the middle of the reed. 
     
     
       8. The electromagnetic switch device according to  claim 5 , wherein the housing has a bore extending therethrough, the reed holder located in the bore. 
     
     
       9. The electromagnetic switch device according to  claim 5 , wherein the electromagnet has a core having a plurality of windings thereon, the windings connectable and disconnectable with an electrical power source. 
     
     
       10. The electromagnetic switch device according to  claim 9 , wherein the core has a cavity, a second permanent magnet mounted in the cavity, the second permanent magnet having a polarity opposite that of the first permanent magnet. 
     
     
       11. The electromagnetic switch device according to  claim 10 , wherein four actuators are mounted in the housing and four reeds are mounted in the base, two of the actuators having the second permanent magnet such that when the electromagnets are disconnected with the electrical power source two of the reeds are in the first position and two of the reeds are in the second position. 
     
     
       12. The electromagnetic switch device according to  claim 1 , wherein the guide member prevents the rotation of the reed within the slot as the reed moves between the first and second positions. 
     
     
       13. An electromagnetic switching device comprising: 
       a) a housing having a base and a case, the case having a bore and the base having a slot;  
       b) at least one electromagnet mounted in the case;  
       c) at least one reed holder having a first and second end, the first end mounted in the bore adjacent the electromagnet;  
       d) a first and second terminal mounted in the base and extending into the slot;  
       e) at least one guide member mounted in the slot; and  
       f) an electrically conductive reed mounted to the second end of the reed holder, the reed supported by the guide member and extending over the terminals, the electromagnet being adapted to move the reed between a first position in which the first and second terminals are electrically connected and a second position in which the first and second terminals are electrically disconnected, the guide member preventing rotation of the reed as it moves between the first and second positions.  
     
     
       14. The electromagnetic switch device according to  claim 13 , wherein two guide members are located in each slot supporting the reed. 
     
     
       15. The electromagnetic switch device according to  claim 14 , wherein the guide member is U-shaped and has a pair of posts that retain the reed. 
     
     
       16. The electromagnetic switch device according to  claim 15 , wherein the second end of the reed holder is located between the guide members. 
     
     
       17. The electromagnetic switch device according to  claim 16 , wherein a pair of walls are located on each side of the slot, a recess located in each wall, the guide member mounted in the recesses. 
     
     
       18. The electromagnetic switch device according to  claim 17 , wherein the posts are mounted in the recesses. 
     
     
       19. The electromagnetic switch device according to  claim 14 , wherein the guide member is U-shaped and has a pair of posts that retain the reed, the reed in sliding contact with the posts. 
     
     
       20. The electromagnetic switch device according to  claim 19 , wherein the second end of the reed holder is located between the guide members. 
     
     
       21. The electromagnetic switch device according to  claim 13 , wherein the terminals are co-axial connectors. 
     
     
       22. The electromagnetic switch device according to  claim 13 , wherein a first permanent magnet is mounted to the first end of the reed holder, the electromagnet being adapted to attract and repel the first permanent magnet such that the reed moves between the first and second positions. 
     
     
       23. The electromagnetic switch device according to  claim 22 , wherein the first end of the reed holder has a cavity, the first permanent magnet mounted in the cavity. 
     
     
       24. The electromagnetic switch device according to  claim 22 , wherein the electromagnet has a core having a plurality of windings, the windings connectable and disconnectable with an electrical power source. 
     
     
       25. The electromagnetic switch device according to  claim 24 , wherein the polarity of a magnetic field generated by the electromagnet is opposite that of the first permanent magnet. 
     
     
       26. The electromagnetic switch device according to  claim 24 , wherein the core has a cavity, a second permanent magnet mounted in the cavity, the second permanent magnet having a polarity opposite that of the first permanent magnet such that the first and second permanent magnets repel each other. 
     
     
       27. The electromagnetic switch device according to  claim 26 , wherein a first reed is mounted to a first reed holder and is mounted in the case with the first and second permanent magnet, a second reed is mounted to a second reed holder and is mounted in the case with the first permanent magnet, such that when the electromagnets are disconnected with the electrical power source the first reed is in the first position and the second reed is in the second position, when the electromagnets are connected with the electrical power source the first reed is in the second position and the second reed is in the first position. 
     
     
       28. An electromagnetic switching device comprising: 
       a) a housing having a base and a case, the case having a plurality of bores and the base having a plurality of slots;  
       b) a plurality of electromagnets mounted in the case;  
       c) a plurality of reed holders, each reed holder having a first and second end, the first end mounted in the bore adjacent the electromagnet;  
       d) a common terminal extending through the base;  
       e) a plurality of first terminals extending through the base around the common terminal;  
       f) a plurality of guide members mounted in the slots; and  
       g) a plurality of electrically conductive reeds mounted to the second end of the reed holder, the reed supported by the guide member and extending over the terminals, the electromagnet being adapted to move the reed between a closed position in which the first and second terminals are electrically connected by the reed and an open position in which the first and second terminals are electrically disconnected, the guide member being adapted to support the reed while allowing movement between the reed and the guide member.  
     
     
       29. The electromagnetic switch device according to  claim 28 , wherein the reed has a first and a second end, the first end located over the common terminal and the second end located over the first terminal. 
     
     
       30. The electromagnetic switch device according to  claim 29 , wherein the reeds extend radially outward from the common terminal toward the first terminals. 
     
     
       31. The electromagnetic switch device according to  claim 30 , wherein two guide members are located in each slot supporting the reed. 
     
     
       32. The electromagnetic switch device according to  claim 28 , wherein a pair of walls are located on each side of the slot, a recess located in each wall, the guide member mounted in the recesses. 
     
     
       33. The electromagnetic switch device according to  claim 28 , wherein the terminals are co-axial connectors. 
     
     
       34. The electromagnetic switch device according to  claim 28 , wherein a first permanent magnet is mounted to the first end of the reed holder, the electromagnet being adapted to attract and repel the first permanent magnet such that the reed moves between the open and closed positions. 
     
     
       35. The electromagnetic switch device according to  claim 34 , wherein the first end of the reed holder has a cavity, the first permanent magnet mounted in the cavity. 
     
     
       36. The electromagnetic switch device according to  claim 34 , wherein the electromagnet has a core having a plurality of windings, the electromagnet generating a magnetic field having a polarity. 
     
     
       37. The electromagnetic switch device according to  claim 36 , wherein the polarity of the magnetic field is opposite that of the first permanent magnet. 
     
     
       38. The electromagnetic switch device according to  claim 37 , wherein the core has a cavity, a second permanent magnet mounted in the cavity, the second permanent magnet having a polarity opposite that of the first permanent magnet such that the first and second permanent magnets repel each other.